Splicing-yarn clamp and cutter device.



C. E. PAQUIN. SPLICING YARN CLAMP AND CUTTER DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20 1915.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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@Lto/KmartI rlllllflllllllrlm C. E. PAQUIN.

SPLICING YARN CLAMP AND CUTTER DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. 1915.

1,173,377, Patented Feb. 29,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES E. PAQUIN, `0E TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPLIoING-YARN CLAMP AND CUTTER DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 29, 1916i:

` Appuction mea February 2o, 1915. serial No. 9,685.-

To all 'whom t may concern:

'Be itknown that I, CHARLES E. PAQmN,a

called high-spliced heel and double-sole hosiery, it has been the more common practice to sever the portion of the splicing thread which is not knit into the stocking, by hand, often injuring the goods through inaccuracy or carelessness ofthe operator. This method involved a separateoperation which was not only time consuming, but at the same time expensive through the loss of at least two per cent. of the product on account ofholes being cut therein. Accordingly, the present invention contemplates ,the severing of these floating threads from the web of the stocking4 during the process of knitting, thereby not only facilitating `the manufacture of this class of hosiery, but 'also reducing the factory loss on account of seconds or other imperfections to a minimum.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and effective clamping or binder device for the floating splicing thread which will tightly grip the same so that-it will ,beheld taut as it is advanced against a stationary cutter blade to be severed close to the main web of the stocking. Viewed in this, its primary aspect, the invention also provides a distinct advantage in the manufactureof this class of hosiery since it makes it possible to knit they splicing thread into the stocking while the needle cylinder is moving in its usual rotary manner. That is to say, the employment of the present clamp or binder device makes it unnecessary to change the motion of .the knitting cylinder from rotary to reciprocating, thereby eliminating the numerous and expensive parts usually necessary in machinesof this character to alternate the motion ofthe needle cylinder.

A further object of the invention is to yprovide a novel, simple and practical clamp or binder device for the floating splicing yarn which may be adjusted so as to tightly clamp the yarn So that it will be automatically cut uniformly even on both Sides of the stocking. Furthermore, the arrangement and type of clamp or binder contemplated by the present invention makes it possible for the floating splicing yarn to have a free unobstructed passage across the top of the carrier plate which prevents it from being prematurely cut or ruptured by any other means than the specially provided cutter, thereby insuring higher efficiency of the machine and preventing the stocking from being cut as it goes under the ring.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed. f

A preferred and'practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of the latch ring having the thread guides and other parts incident to this portion of a rotary knitting machine, and showing the course of the floating splicing threads from the splicing yarn guide to a point adjacent the stationary cutter. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l showing a portion of a rotary knitting machine with Ythe needle cylinder, latch ring, and adjacent parts, together with the novel and improved binder or splicing yarn clamp. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a vertical section on the line 4-4 vof Fig. 41 showing the splicing yarn guide raised in full lines so `that the binderdevice is open, and also showing the splicing yarn guide by dotted lines in the position in which the splicing yarn is knit into the stocking. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the splicing yarn clamp shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is anenlarged detail front elevation showing the floating splicing yarnclamp open. "Fig 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the relativeposition of parts when the main-thread shear device is operated.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figtion Awith the well-known Banner type of knitting machine, and as shown in the-several figures of the accompanying drawings,

the numeral 1 designates thejusual rotary 5 needle or knitting cylinder having mounted therein the circular bank of knitting needles 2, while arranged above the needle cylinder and its several parts i's the usual latch ring 3 which includes thev latch ring sup port 4.. The knitting cylinder is of the usual construction-andis given its rotation by the usual mechanism (not shown). The said latch ring 3 is preferably provided iupon .the side thereof withI a supporting extension 5 to which is secured a bracket knife blade, and is also provided with' a'r arm 6 having formed at one end a depending bifurcated portion 7 which carries at its lower end a segmental plate member 8 occupying the usual position within the v2'0 latch ring 3 and above the knitting .cylinder 1. This segmental plate member 8 is provided with a cutter segment 9 having thereon a stationary splicing yarn cutter 10 in the form of an upstanding triangular shearing edgev 11 which coperates with the usual swinging shear blade 12 for cutting thennain yarn. For the purpose of maintaining the proper relation of the shearing edge' 11 and shear blade 12, a suitable flat spring 13 is employed, and it will'also be noted in connection withvthis blade 12 that the same is provided with a rounded nose portion and its back edge is flattened to form a clamping-edge 12a. The main yarn shearblade 12 has a link connection 14 with a main operating lever 15 pivotally mounted on the bracket arm 6'as at 16, and operatively connected tothe usual fashion or pattern wheel (not shown) through a suitable the stocking is knit, they are referred to in connection 17.

At one sideof the'bracketarm 6 ispreferably arranged a main-yarn binder 18 which is pivotally mounted as at 19 and has its lower edge normally held in contact with 15 through the connection 17, the link 14 is` thrust downwardly separating or opening the 'shears 11 and 12, and also carrying-the4 presser bar 23 downward to lift the clamp 18 from the face of the segmental plate member 8. w v

While the foregoing details of construction relate more specifically to instrumentalities operable in #connection with the main-yarn or threadfrom which the web of order to assist in a proper understanding of the improved splicing, yarn binder con'- templated by the present invention.

Referring" now to the action and detailsv of the splicing yarn binder or clamping device, it v'will be observed that the same essentially comprises a main clamp arm 24 which is pivoted as at 25 to one of the members of the bifurcated portion 7 of the bracket arm 6, and a tension spring 26 having its ends respectively connected to the clamp arm 24 and the bracket 6.' `This tension spring 26 normally holds the flat edge` 27 of the clamping arm 24-in contact with the clamping edge 12a ofthe shear blade 12, thereby providing a splicing yarn clamp It will be noted that the spring l13 serves to maintain the proper relationl between the shear blade 12 and the shearing edge 11, andl also holds the clamp arm 24 and clamp blade 12 in proper vertical alinement so that there is no possibility of the edges 12a and 27 not being in effective contact, thereby insuring avpositive gripping clamp for the splicing yarn thread.v The said clamp arm 24 is also provided with a smooth yarn guide nose 28 to' prevent the floating splic ing yarn from being accidentally caught,

and on itsf rear side carries an adjustable yarn retainer plate 29 which may be adjusted through the medium of the screw 30 and slot 31 in the body o f the arm 24 so that its pointed thread retainer Aend 29i not only overlaps with or crosses the joint formed by the edges 12a and 27 of the clamping jaw, but also provides a lateral hook or stop which prevents the thread from being withdrawn from between the edges of the jaws above mentioned. A This construction, therefore, provides a very -tight and effective grip for ,the floating splicing yarn so that it will be held taut when it goes against the stationary cutter 10 as the needle cylinder rotates.

It willaccordingly, be understood that the gripping position of the clamp arm. 24 is as shown in Fig. 2, and it will also be apparent v,that it is inl this position that the floatingV 'yarn is gripped to be cut as it`travels against the triangular cutter blade. 10.

The nclamp arm 24 is actuated or raised through the medium of a lever 32 which. is 4pivoted as at 33 to yone of the bifurpated members of the bracket `arm 6, and has -its end 34 normally resting upon the vclamp arm 24 as shown in the several figures of the drawings, while its opposite end is `angled as at 35 and is always in contact with the yarn guide 364which feeds the splicing yarn S into the stocking. This latter feature .can be best observed from Fig. 4 of the drawings which shows in full lines the splicing yarn guide 36 raised so that the splicing yarn S is not being knit 'into thev stocking,

and shows in dotted lines the position of the 13 '12? to revolve, the thread is held taut and sevsplicing yarn' guide when the splicing yarn is being knit into the stocking. The said splicing yarn guide 86 is actuated by the ordinary cam means [for this purpose (not shown), so that for one-half of the revolution of the rotary knitting cylinder, the splicing yarn is knit into the stocking, while for the-other half of the revolution, the splicing yarn does not go intothe stocking but passes across the top of the segmental plate member 8. It will thus be apparent that after a half round of` the splicing thread S has been knit into the stocking, the splicing yarn guide 36 is raised so that the said splicing yarn is held above the yneedles and not woven into the stocking, and while the yarn guide 36 is in its raised position, theend 35 of the lever 32 is also raised so that the clamping arm 24 of the binder device is turnedon its pivot to open the aws 12a and 27. This position of the jaws of the splicing yarn binder permits the splicing yarn S to pass freely through the splicing yarn clearance 21 of the main thread binder 18 across the upper surface of the segmental plate member 8 Aand inI close proximity to the sharpened edge of the stationary cutf ter blade 10 as clearly s hown in Figs. land 4. Thus, it is obvious that if the rotating needle cylinder l is traveling in the, direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, the portionsof the stocking describing a semi-circle to the right of the plate member 8 in said figure, has woven therein the splicing thread asindicated by double dotted lines, while the remaining semi-circle to the left of the plate member does not have the thread as indicated by a single dotted line, but the same passesover the top of the plate member 8 between the clamping edges 12aan'd 27 which are open. At a predetermined instant at this point of the knitting, the splicing yarn guide 36 islowered to start the insertion of the splicing yarn for the next half round, and the clamp arm.24 is lowered onto the top edge of the knife blade l2 thus clamping and 27 so that as the cylinder continues ered by the stationary cutter 10 close tothe web of the stocking. This severing of the splicing thread leaves a loose portion S -between the cutter l0 and the edges 12a and 27, which latter are closed as the*y next half round of splicing is being knit in the stocking, and also leaves1 another portion S2, on the other side of the clamp, which has a connection, approximately for instance, at S3 with the web of the stocking, and as the cylinder continues to rotate` this portion S2 1s brought around toward the cutter 10 sothat it is severed by the same close to the web in the same.; manner as above described. Therefore, the`piece of splicingyarn, comprising the sections S and S2, which is vis severed by vtinued rotation of the needle cylinder. An-

the splicing thread between the edgesy clamped between the jaw edges12 and 27 is automatically severed at both ends from the stocking andfalls out of the jaws when they are opened to receive the next floating splicing thread. In other words, the floating splicing thread S when top of the segmental plate members is tightly gripped at its center by the edges 12a and 27 to accomplish the severing of the portion S from the main web of the stocking, while the portion S2 is folded towardl the loose portion S and also towardthe cutter 10 as the cylinder continues to rotate, to be severed by the said cutter. This construction enables the clamp arm 24 of the binder device which coperates with the flat edge 12aL o f the shear blade 12 to perform the dual lfunction of. a binder or clamp for the splicing yarn thread as one portion thereof is carried against the cutter l0, and also holds the remainderof the lioating thread in such a position that it the same cuttery upon the conlother advantage of this arrangement resides in having only a single stationary cutter to successively sever both ends of the floating splicing yarn,

other end folded toward the loose or previously severed end to bey carried against the same cutter. Y

From the foregoing description, it is(y thought that the many features and advanextending across the which it effectively does by first cutting one end and then having the Y tages of the invention will be readily apparent, and 1t will of course be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the in'vention. y

1I A circular knitting machine including, in combination with the knitting mechanism and the main yarn cut-off, a splicing thread cutter, and a splicing-thread clamp partly formed by the mainl yarn cut-ofi.

2. A circular knitting machine including,`

-in combination with the knitting mecha-l nism and a shear blade of the main yarn cutof, a stationary splicing thread cutter, and an automatically operated clamping member coperating with said blade to form a clampv for the splicing thread.

3. A circular knitting machine includinglfV in combination with the knitting mechanism and a shear blade of the main yarn cut off, a stationary Splicing ,thread cutter, ya clamping member coperating with said blade to form a clampy for the splicing thread, and means' for automatically operating .the said clamping member intermittently. f

4. A ccular knitting machine including,

in combination with the. knitting'. mechal nism and a shear blade of the main lyarncut o, a stationary splicing thread cutter, a spring retracted clamping member coperating with said shear blade to form a clamp for the splicing thread, andmeans for automatic'ally lifting said clamping member intermittent-ly from the shear blade.

5. A circular knitting machine including,

, in combination With'the knitting mechanism and shear blade of the main yarn cut oil", a stationary splicing thread cutter, and an automatically operated clamping member having a gua-rd nose and coperating With said blade to'form a clamp for the splicing thread. Y

6. A circular knitting machine including, in combination with the lknitting mechanism and a shear blade of the main lyarn cut off, a stationary splicinggthread cutter, andan automatically operated clamping member carrying an adJustable yarn retainer plate having a guard nose for cooperating Wth said blade to form a clamp 'for the splicing thread. 7.- A circular 'knitting machine including, A

in combination With the knitting mechanism and a main-yarn shear blade, of a. splicing 8. A circular knitting machine including,

in combination With the knitting mechanisrn and a main-yarn shear blade, of a splicing yarn clamping. member having a clamping edge cooperating With said main- Ayarn l'shear blade,"an adjustable yarn retainer lplate carried by said clamping arm and having a guard nose adapted to provide a lateral yarn stop, spring means for holding the clamping member in contact Wit-h the main yarn shear blade,`and lever Ameans for operating said clamping arm.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature inthe presence of two Witnesses.

` o CHARLES E. PAQUIVN.

Witnesses WALTER A. MERRILL, HENRY J. POUDRIER. v 

